Chie took to the stairs like a wild animal, jumping from rail to rail rather than run the spiraling stairs. She did her best not to look down as she began to make great time, but by floor thirty-five she couldn't help it. It nearly made her fall to see how high up she was. She had climbed buildings, clung to gutters and drainpipes, but this height was something new. She nearly lost her grip with how clammy her hands had become, but her other hand snapped around and latched to the rail in the nick of time. With her heart racing for more than one reason, she climbed over the rail and decided for now running would do the job.
A couple of flights of stairs and Chie was already starting to regret things. Her heart was pounding so loud she could hear each pulse of her veins. She let out a groan of frustration as she realized how sweaty she would be. It was far from the way she wanted to introduce herself, but she wasn't about to give up now. She would rather die than give Niel another thing to tease her about, not today!
Two dozen more flights and Chie's resolve was begining to break. She was already gasping for air, her lungs where burning as they heaved her chest up in down in a vain attempt to bring enough oxygen. She was practically crawling up the stairs, propping herself up against the rails. Niel had easily outpaced her by now, and she was cursing her own Naivety. She was only a little over halfway there.
"God...damnit..." She huffed out in spite.
"I'm such a dumbass" She relented in frustration. Why was she still going? The elevator was still working, yet she refused. She had chosen to take the stairs and so up the next flight of stairs she went.
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“I HATE YOU. YOU STUPID ELEVATOR. I WASN’T READY TO GO IN YET. I WAS HOPING SOMEONE WOULD CHANGE THEIR FUCKING MIND AND SEND ME FUCKING HOME. BUT YOU. YOU RUINED IT. YOU ELECTRONIC KIDNAPPING PIECE OF FUCKING TECHNOLOGY. I HOPE THAT YOUR WIRES SPIT OUT OF YOUR MECHANICAL GUTS!”
Chie could hear the yelling from behind the door to the stairwell. That unforgettable voice made her hesitate before she opened the door. Niel was awkward, sure, but she physically recoiled in tangible pain as she listened to him already making a fool of himself. Well, she wasn't exactly going to do much better. The bright pink shirt she had worn now clung to her from all the sweat pouring off of her. She was gasping for air, her mouth so dry she wasn't sure she'd be able to give an intro. Her throat hurt like she had swallowed glass, and her legs wobbled underneath her weakly as she was moments away from letting them give out.
"Can't let him be the only idiot out there" she said to herself with a sigh before swinging the door open to reveal her own haggard self.
"Shuriken!" She managed to rasp out before coughing from the lump in throat. It took her awkwardly long to get her composure back.
"Reporting for duty!" She continued, giving a salute to Stark even as she doubled over herself.
Tony Stark hardly seemed impressed, but her slid down the pair of sunglasses he was wearing so the group could see his piercing blue eyes. His face told everything he was intending. Disappointment. His glare first turned to Chie.
"Kid, did you just go up ninety-three flights of stairs?" He asked in an exasperated gasp. Chie, through nausea and fatigue could only nod at the man. Her face was bright red at this point: both from embarrassment and her lethargy.
Tony didn't seem done with her, but his stare down was enough for now. He turned to the newest addition and back to her before pinching his nose in frustration.
"Ok" He finally said in defeat.
"Go ahead a get Miss triathlon a bottle of water, a coffee for Miss Lance, did I miss anything?" He snarled in a passive-aggressive display of his waning patience.